


An Unexpected Meeting

by Treekianthia



Series: Gremlin Adventures [4]
Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: (Therion is a dumb dad), F/M, Family, Post-Canon, Reunions, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 20:51:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17433320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: When traveling across Orsterra to reach Grandport, Cordelia and Heathcote stop in Rippletide in order to finish their journey by ship. Though the trip had been normal up to that point, they run into a familiar face when stopping in a quaint little shop along the streets.





	An Unexpected Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This is totally a self indulgent fic that I wrote just to have fun and honestly shouldn't be taken seriously (it's mostly a comedy anyway). It also contains mentions of some other ships, but I only tagged the important one. Really, I was just having fun with this.

Every time Cordelia Ravus visited the Coastlands, she noted how nice the weather was compared to home. The air was cool, there was always some sort of breeze, and the temperature rarely reached the same peak as that of the Clifflands. She hadn’t traveled through the area often as a young child, but things began to change when she was seventeen. Her penpal of many years was from the Coastlands, and when their letters weren’t reaching her, she traveled to the town of Grandport in order to make sure nothing was wrong.

Six years had passed since then, and Cordelia was now a beautiful woman of age twenty-three. She would make yearly trips to the town of Grandport to visit her dear penpal and friend Noa Wyndham, and the journey had become second nature to her. She and her butler Heathcote would travel through the southern parts of Orsterra before going along the coasts and eventually reaching the bustling merchant town. Normally they would take a carriage to cut down on the time, but it was still an exciting adventure. The sites were breathtaking.

This year, however, Cordelia had decided to take a different approach. She had requested that the two of them walk to their destination, along with taking the northern paths instead of the southern ones. They would eventually reach the town of Rippletide, where they would then take a boat to Grandport. Though it was a different route than normal, that had been the appeal of it. It would be exciting to see something new.

While she had enjoyed traveling through the north, it was in the town of Rippletide where things took an unexpected turn. She and Heathcote had been traveling for almost two weeks at that point, and their journey was nearly over. They had arrived at the quiet trading town during the mid-afternoon, having left from Atlasdam early that morning. It was misty, with a small storm having just passed through. Only a few residents were wandering about.

“Oh, isn’t this place lovely, Heathcote?” Cordelia asked as she walked past a number of shops and stalls. She had heard that Rippletide was similar to Grandport in a way, but the two greatly differed in size. While Grandport was more focused on bringing travelers in, Rippletide was more focused on making things feel like home.

“I came here a few times in my younger days,” the elderly butler responded. “It’s changed quite a bit since then, but it still has that feeling of adventure waiting to happen.”

The young noblewoman twirled along the streets. “It feels like the perfect place to serve as inspiration for a novel! Perhaps the next time I try writing, my story will be about a girl from a foggy little town that finds new places to go!”

Her butler smiled as he watched her. “I’m glad to hear that you’re considering writing again,” he told her. “I’m sure Noa would love to read such a story too, though she seemed so sad when she finished your last one.”

Cordelia began to smile in return. “She was just upset there was nothing else for her to read! The Princess and the Thief had reached their happy ending, and there was nothing more to be told about them!”

“Well, I’m sure your next story will be just as good as the last,” Heathcote assured her. “It also wouldn’t hurt to start writing something while we’re on the ship so Noa can read it once we arrive.”

Stopping in front of a small shop, Cordelia peered into the display window. “You know, I think that is an excellent idea, Heathcote,” she mentioned before giggling. She stopped, however, when something caught her eye amongst the wares. It was a pendant that she felt she had seen before.

“...is something the matter, Lady Cordelia?” Heathcote asked. “You’ve suddenly gone quiet.”

Cordelia turned to face the older gentleman. “Does this pendant look familiar to you? I swear that I’ve seen it somewhere,” she mentioned as she pointed at the display. The butler leaned in to get a closer look.

“Hmm… My old eyes may be fooling me, but that looks like a pendant that was once worn by a young noblewoman in Sunshade. It was a grand treasure she had commissioned to be presented at her 28th birthday. I do believe we went to that celebration,” he commented. Eyeing the pendant again, Cordelia realized Heathcote was right.

“...perhaps we should take a look at the rest of this shop’s wares,” the young woman suggested before looking at the shop’s sign:  _Colzione and Family…_  It seemed there was something shady going on.

A bell rang as Cordelia and her butler stepped inside. The shop was roomy, and the shelves were lined with a variety of items. One section held edibles and home supplies, while another was specifically for decorations and antiques. It seemed to be a one-stop location for all kinds of needs.

“Welcome to the Colzione and Family shop. How may I- ….Heathcote? Cordelia???”

Cordelia turned her attention to the shop’s front counter. Standing behind it was a young man, not much taller than she. His white hair was rather long, while one side of his face was covered by his bangs. His visible eye was green, and it was open in surprise. Strapped to his chest was a pouch carrying a young infant with very faint wisps of hair. Though the man looked different, Cordelia instantly recognized who it was.

“Sir Therion? Is that you?” she asked in disbelief. He had changed with age, but there was no doubt in Cordelia’s mind. This man was the same thief she had hired and befriended over half a decade ago.

“What are you doing here in Rippletide?” Therion asked as he walked around the counter. He was holding something in his hand, but Cordelia was focused more on the fact she had found him again in the first place. Working in a shop no less!

Heathcote cleared his throat. “We could be asking you the same thing,” he said as he looked at the young man, “And may I ask what it is that you are carrying?”

Therion furrowed his brow. “This?” he asked as he held up the item. “It’s a sack of potatoes.”

Heathcote cleared his throat again. “I was thinking more the young infant you seem to be carrying in that pouch on your chest.”

Therion blinked a few times before laughing- a sight Cordelia herself was surprised to see. “Oh, you mean my son,” he said as he put the sack of potatoes down. “His name is Tidus. He’s about 6-months-old now, and I keep him like this to make sure he doesn’t cause trouble while I’m working.”

“I... I don’t understand,” Cordelia stated as her disbelief continued. “The last time we saw you…”

“I was a roguish thief who showed no signs of settling down,” Therion finished. He was smirking, and it reminded Cordelia of when she had last saw him. Perhaps he hadn’t changed much after all.

“So you’ve found somebody who’s changed your mind, have you?” Heathcote inquired. Shrugging, Therion walked back behind the counter and picked up a picture frame. Cordelia could barely see it, but she could tell it was a photo of a wedding.

“I wouldn’t say ‘changed my mind’, really,” the thief began to explain. “More like, ’gave me a purpose to stay in one place for long periods of time’.”

The baby in the pouch cooed. He was sticking his head out and staring directly at Cordelia. His green eyes were wide with the same curiosity as every other infant she had met.

“To imagine you’ve gotten married, and even have a child no less! I would have never expected it!” the young noblewoman expressed. She wondered what kind of woman had caught his fancy, especially as somebody who admittedly had a crush on him all those years ago.

The butler peered to get a better look at the picture. “I assume your wife is a part of the family who runs this establishment?” he guessed. It made sense to Cordelia, lining up with the “and Family” part of the shop’s name.

Therion placed the picture closer to the two so they could see better. In it, he stood next to a shorter woman with her brown hair pulled back. She wore a rather simple wedding dress, while Therion wore something slightly fancier than normal. His hair had still been short, and it looked to be taken about two or three years after they had parted ways. The couple looked happy.

“It might come as a surprise to you two, but my wife is a merchant,” Therion revealed. “She’s actually out on the docks right now picking up some merchandise from a friend.”

The young woman looked up from the photo slightly. “Truly? She must be a very special person then if she managed to win your heart despite that.”

“Tressa? She’s a bit hot-headed and can be super stubborn, and she hates when I want to return things we’ve purchased,” he mentioned, “...but she’s passionate about what she does, and we understand each other. Even if we do bicker here and there, by the end of the day, we’re both laughing and smiling about one thing or another. She’s special in a way that made me want to steal her heart.”

Heathcote gave an understanding nod. “She sounds like a very nice woman,” he mentioned, “and it does not matter whether or not she is a merchant, but that you’re able to find happiness with her.”

“Therion…” Cordelia began as she returned her gaze to the photo. “Have we perhaps met your wife before? I’m not certain to as of why, but she looks… Familiar.” Even though she didn’t know the woman’s face well, something about it caused Cordelia’s memory to stir.

“You’ve actually both met her before,” the thief revealed. “Heathcote, back in Northreach, she was the young girl with me when you found me at the tavern. The one who was going on about how much she hated delivering mead and ale to the taverns back home.”

“Ah yes! I do remember that. She was quite the lively girl, and the two of you were going back and forth the entire time I was there,” he recalled. Therion, meanwhile, picked the photo back up and put it where it belonged.

“And Cordelia, do you remember when you went to visit Noa? When her letters were being stolen?” he asked. “My wife was with me when I ran into you, along with that annoying scholar and the huntress he ended up marrying.”

Cordelia thought back to the trip Therion was referring to. She had indeed ran into him, and the group he was with had managed to get the letters back. She remembered him complaining to somebody that he had forgotten to steal something, and they had snapped back with some witty reply about him turning a new leaf. Thinking on it more, Cordelia realized it had been the woman from the picture. She was obviously a bit younger when they had met, but it was definitely her.

“Oh! She was the girl that told you if you were considering turning a new leaf, she’d happily take you on as her apprentice!” Cordelia recalled. Therion’s expression flattened, and he looked a bit annoyed.

“You forget to rob somebody  _one time_ , and nobody ever lets you live it down,” he grumbled before looking down at his son. “Promise daddy that you won’t make fun of him for forgetting, especially since we still rely on me, okay?”

The baby giggled. Heathcote looked at the young father with concern. “You still partake in thievery despite being a merchant’s husband?” he asked. “Does she know about this?”

Therion looked up at the elderly butler. “Huh? Oh yeah, Tressa knows. In fact, it was her idea in the first place,” he mentioned. Cordelia’s eyes widened.

“Sir Therion! That is highly illegal!” she reminded him. Therion, however, began to chuckle and shook his head.

“I only steal from the powerful and corrupt. Most of the items I take get returned to the rightful owners, who give me quite the amount of coin as a reward, while whatever is left over gets sold here,” he explained. It seemed he was trying to pass his pursuits off as noble.

Heathcote nodded slightly. “So you basically now make a living off of what we originally hired you for: to steal back the stolen,” he pointed out. Therion nodded in response before heading towards the front window.

“See this pendant here? Stolen from a noblewoman from Sunshade who had her guards pilfer family heirlooms from travelers. It was one of the few things we couldn’t trace back to somebody. And the music box next to it? From the hands of a scholar who stole over 300 holy texts from Sainstbridge,” he explained. Cordelia felt a shiver run down her spine.

“I knew that noblewoman from Sunshade- that pendant was the reason we walked in here. To think she was doing such a horrible thing…” she trailed off. Heathcote put his hand on her shoulder before eyeing Therion.

“While what you’re doing is admirable, please be careful. You are a family man now, and your son needs you. You’re no good to him in prison,” the older man warned. Therion sighed and walked back to the counter.

“I know that, old man. Theft is a risky business, but it’s what I’m good at. Trust me, I’m no merchant. The only reason I get left in charge here sometimes is so Tressa can go do her bargaining,” the thief explained. “Speaking of which, that should be her coming in now.”

Cordelia turned as the bell on the door rang once again. Entering the shop was indeed the woman from the picture, but in much different attire. It made sense knowing the situation, but it was still odd to see. What little Cordelia knew of her was from memories that were six-years-old, so the noblewoman only had so much to compare the merchant to. The young woman was eyeing Cordelia and Heathcote strangely.

“Therion, are these…?” the merchant didn’t finish her question and instead stared at her husband. From the pouch, the infant was reaching out to his mother.

“Cordelia and Heathcote, in the flesh,” Therion confirmed as he walked over. Taking Tidus from the pouch, Therion handed the infant to Tressa.

Cordelia waved. “It’s nice to see you, Tressa,” she said before smiling. “Sir Therion was just telling us about the life he has here with you.”

Heathcote nodded in agreement. “I’m shocked to see that somebody has finally managed to tame such a chaotic child. Surely he must be a handful.”

Tressa began to laugh. “He isn’t  _that_ bad! He’s like a giant raccoon! Give him a treasure to find, and he’s as happy as he can be!”

Therion sighed and shook his head. “A Raccoon? Really? Isn’t there anything better you can compare me to?”

Tressa grinned, the infant in her arms wiggling. “Nope! I think a raccoon fits you perfectly!”

Cordelia giggled. “It’s good to see the two of you get along,” she told them. She was happy to see Therion with such a loving family.

The merchant turned towards Cordelia. “So what brings you to Rippletide, Lady Ravus?” she asked. “Therion sometimes talks about you, but it’s been a few years since you last saw him, huh?”

Cordelia smiled. “We’re actually just passing through. There’s a ship here that travels to Grandport, and we’ll be taking it so I can visit Noa.”

Tressa beamed. “Oh!!! We actually went and saw her a few months ago!” she revealed. “It was about two months after Tidus was born. We closed the shop temporarily so we could attend the Merchants’ Fair. I already got my fun out of it years ago, but a good friend of mine still goes every year.”

“You winning the Merchants’ Fair is the only reason we can afford to close the shop for so long,” Therion pointed out. “I still can’t believe you just won’t take all the money.”

The merchant stuck her tongue out at her husband before responding. “We make enough money on our own! Besides, this way we have the money for when we really need it! Like getting Tidus a good education!” The baby babbled at the mention of his name.

Cordelia was still smiling. “So what was your friend doing at the Merchants’ Fair?” she asked. She assumed they were participating in the yearly contest like most others, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

Tressa began to snicker while Therion crossed his arms. “Trying to woo Noa, probably,” the thief mentioned. Cordelia felt herself blush a bit.

“Woo… Noa?” she asked in hopes of clarification. Cordelia had read letters from Noa where she mentioned suitors, but actually hearing about it...

“See, my friend Ali and Noa briefly met when I participated in the fair, but they didn’t really get to talk,” Tressa began explaining. “The thing is, during those three years Noa traveled, she ran into him again in Marsalim, and the two started chatting. One thing led to another, and Ali started traveling with her. By the time they parted ways, he was absolutely  _smitten_  with her.”

“It was rather amusing to hear about. He was half-drunk and sobbing about how he had missed his chance,” Therion added. “He threw up on the tavern floor.”

Tressa glared at her husband. “I think it was  _you_  who threw up on the tavern floor.”

Therion shrugged. “No, I’m pretty sure-“

Heathcote cleared his throat once more to interrupt. “No matter who had the unfortunate tavern incident, it seems your friend Ali still fancies Lady Noa. Have you perhaps heard about this, Lady Cordelia?”

Cordelia took a moment to think. “She did mention meeting somebody in a few of her letters, but never if she fancied them. I know she has dreams of one day traveling with the love of her life, but beyond that I’m not sure.”

Tressa smiled widely. “How romantic! It actually reminds me of how Therion proposed! We had gone to Stillsnow for a trading opportunity when he started talking about how much he liked traveling with me-“

“Okay, let’s save that story for another time,” Therion interrupted. His cheeks were a deep pink and he looked grumpy. He was embarrassed. Cordelia laughed.

“You two are quite the exciting pair!” she commented. “It’s as if you were made for each other!”

Heathcote let out a quiet laugh of his own. “It seems Lady Tressa here has more of a hold over Therion than a fool’s bangle ever did.”

Therion groaned. “Can we just get back to talking about Ali and Noa? I didn’t ask to have my entire life story poured out today,” he grumbled. His son, meanwhile, started grabbing the side of his shirt. Tressa took his tiny hand before he could cause any trouble.

“Ali always tries to present an item at the fair to catch Noa’s fancy. This year, he brought her the supposed lost jewels of an ancient civilization,” the merchant mentioned. “He didn’t win, so I told him next year he should outright confess to her on stage. A desperate declaration of love, I say!”

“Ah, young love,” Heathcote commented while nodding. “So sweet and innocent.”

“Have you ever been in love before, Heathcote?” Cordelia asked her butler. The old man looked at her strangely.

“I don’t think my experience with romance is relevant here, Lady Ravus,” he mentioned. “Yet perhaps this young man’s affection is something we can talk to Lady Wyndham about.”

Cordelia nodded. “It is certainly something I’m curious about. Perhaps she feels the same way and has just been too nervous to express herself, or maybe she’s completely oblivious to the situation.”

Therion snorted. “It wouldn’t be the first time somebody was oblivious to Ali. Turns out he had a thing for Tressa for quite some time. The thing is, he actually had the nerve to confess to her,” he began explaining. Tressa began to frown.

“I felt really bad having to turn him down, though he took it well enough. I was confused about my own feelings over Therion at the time, so it was really awkward,” Tressa finished for Therion. “Obviously, I figured those out well enough.”

“You laughed at me for five minutes straight before realizing I was serious when I asked you on our first date,” Therion bluntly reminded her. Tressa rolled her eyes at him, but she was smiling again.

“But we’re happy together now, and we have Tidus as proof of that,” she said as she gently bounced their son. The baby boy laughed, enjoying the time in his mother’s arms.

“Whatever happens, I hope both Ali and Noa can find happiness,” Cordelia mentioned. Noa was her friend, and Ali sounded nice enough. Even if they didn’t end up together, they could still be happy. Heathcote, meanwhile, nodded in agreement.

“I’m sure that at some point, they will figure out the path they wish to take, and it will lead them towards a good life,” he stated. He sounded a bit like a wise old hermit when he talked like that.

Curious, Therion looked towards his wife. “Shouldn’t Ali be back in Grandport soon?” he asked. “I know he mentioned trying to open up a second shop with his father in the area, and that he’d be back about this time of year.”

Tressa’s face slowly lit up as she realized her husband was right. “...Therion, go start packing! We’re closing up shop and helping Ali confess his feelings to Noa! Cordelia, Heathcote, we’ll be back before two ripples of the tide!”

Therion stepped back in shock. “Oh, you can’t be serious!” he said in annoyance. “I only brought that up in case Cordelia wanted to meet him!”

Tressa handed the infant back to Therion before pushing her husband on the back to get him to move. “We don’t have time to deal with this! Leon’s ship will be leaving soon, and he’s the only one going to Grandport until next week! Oh, and grab that pendant in the window too! It’ll be the perfect gift for Ali to give to Noa!”

“Tressa, you’re pushing me into the potatoes!”

“Stop struggling and get moving on your own then!”

Cordelia laughed as the couple bickered back and forth as they left the room. It seemed she and Heathcote had picked up an extra set of bodies for their journey, but she wasn’t going to complain. The two would make things far more interesting.

“Isn’t it wonderful seeing Sir Therion like this?” the noblewoman asked her butler. “To think things would end up like this! I would have never have guessed!”

Heathcote nodded and smiled lightly. “He has certainly changed for the better since we first met him. I think he has you to thank for that.”

Cordelia gave Heathcote a confused look. “Why do you say that?” she asked. Heathcote’s smile widened.

“You were the one who opened his heart back up to trusting others. If it weren’t for you doing that, Lady Cordelia, he may have never fallen in love and started a family,” the butler explained. “He truly is happy now.”

Cordelia smiled softly before laughing. She could hear the two bickering still from the other room. It seems they couldn’t agree on how much money to bring.

“Even if they bicker, they love each other dearly. They make quite a team, don’t you think?” she continued asking. Heathcote nodded again.

“They’ll give their son a good life and be happy together,” he assured her in response. “Perhaps they’ll even bring happiness to those around them.”

Cordelia placed her hand over her heart. “You know, I think you’re right…”

Even if Cordelia had developed a crush on Therion all those years ago, she was happy to see where he was now. She had since moved on, and was working to find her own happiness now. Perhaps now that they reconnected, an unexpected change would come into her own life…

For now, however, it was time for her and Tressa to play matchmaker.

**Author's Note:**

> [Therion Voice] I'm a dad.
> 
> ...seriously though, that's all I have to say. Other than like, I'll always be bitter that Ali and Noa didn't get to talk in game? Maybe I'll write another chapter about Cordelia and Tressa being horrible wingwomen to the two of them??? I just wanted to write something dumb based off a conversation with a friend that involved Cordelia, Heathcote, Therion, and a baby in a situation akin to the infamous iCarly smoothie scene. The file name for this is actually "A Smoothie" that's how dumb this is.
> 
> I really don't know what else to tell you guys about this.


End file.
